Disclaimer: Not mine, belongs to the Goddess, JKR, unfortunately, etc.
Notes: To the snake-haters out there, this is a warning - Remus is a Parselmouth. Apologies, etc.
Not Really First Blood
"Ow!" Remus rubbed his head, then, his face hardening, he bashed it against the wall again. The skin caught on an uneven section of stone, and blood trickled into his eyes.
He went into the bathroom and filled the basin with cold water. He plunged his head under for as long as his lungs could stand, then surfaced, gasping.
Enveloped in his thoughts, he sat on the cold stone floor, and closed his eyes. A cough snapped him out of his reverie. Through the red haze of his pain, he saw James standing in the doorway.
Remus got up, and washed his face again. Silently, James handed him a towel, and then stood still, a frown on his face. "Thanks, James," Remus muttered.
"What happened this time, Ray? You fell against a suit of armour? Accident in Potions? Or the all-time-favourite, you fell down the stairs?" James voice was sharp.
"I. . . I just had an accident, that's all."
"Sure Ray. Oops, my hand slipped while I was holding a razor! Oh no, I slammed my hand through a door while I was opening it! Ray, just because you're angry doesn't mean you have to hurt yourself. I mean, that's probably the fourth time this month. Once more and I go to Dumbledore."
"What do you care, James? Any time I want to talk, you're off with Sirius. And Peter. . . "
"Anytime you want to talk?! Right so, off you go! Talk! Say on, Macduff! What's this big burden you have that makes you cut yourself, beat yourself up? I'm not hearing words, Ray! Fine! When you want to talk, you tell me. I'm still here, I've not gone far away. If you look hard enough, you'll find me."
"Where, with Peter in the Forest?!"
"You. . . you know about the Plan?" James stammered, shocked.
"Pla. . . yeah, I know about it!" Remus improvised, completely bewildered.
James was suspicious. "Tell me about the Plan, Ray. All the details - tell me what we're doing, what we're going to do. Tell me how and why!"
"Fine, I don't know! I overheard you yesterday morning, talking to Sirius and Peter. Why are you able to tell Peter and not me, huh?!"
"We will tell you, Ray, just not yet. When we're done, then we'll tell you. And you'll be glad we did it. It'll help you. I've got to go now, but I'll talk to you later."
Remus was still annoyed, but it wasn't as bad now. At least he knew he would be told, and it would help him. His anger had been replaced with curiosity. What were they doing, and how would it help him?
Still wondering, he began to tidy his stuff. Under his bed, he found a rat in his trap. It was squeaking, and running about. He smiled and lifted up the cage. It was a big one - almost a foot long, tail included.
Moving his trunk aside, he started to hiss softly. He pulled up two of the floorboards with great ease - they had obviously been moved many times before.
He pulled out a bigger cage and peered inside it. Then he checked the heat spell surrounding it. It was intact. Remus smiled as he tipped the rat into the cage and watched it being swallowed whole. (AN - I know feeding live animals to snakes is illegal, but I figure, Arsheba's a wizards snake, therefore probably magic herself, so she'll be grand!)
"Good girl, Arsheba! You were hungry, weren't you?" he cooed.
The snake nodded as if in agreement, and hissed at him. Remus hissed back.
Notes: To the snake-haters out there, this is a warning - Remus is a Parselmouth. Apologies, etc.
Not Really First Blood
"Ow!" Remus rubbed his head, then, his face hardening, he bashed it against the wall again. The skin caught on an uneven section of stone, and blood trickled into his eyes.
He went into the bathroom and filled the basin with cold water. He plunged his head under for as long as his lungs could stand, then surfaced, gasping.
Enveloped in his thoughts, he sat on the cold stone floor, and closed his eyes. A cough snapped him out of his reverie. Through the red haze of his pain, he saw James standing in the doorway.
Remus got up, and washed his face again. Silently, James handed him a towel, and then stood still, a frown on his face. "Thanks, James," Remus muttered.
"What happened this time, Ray? You fell against a suit of armour? Accident in Potions? Or the all-time-favourite, you fell down the stairs?" James voice was sharp.
"I. . . I just had an accident, that's all."
"Sure Ray. Oops, my hand slipped while I was holding a razor! Oh no, I slammed my hand through a door while I was opening it! Ray, just because you're angry doesn't mean you have to hurt yourself. I mean, that's probably the fourth time this month. Once more and I go to Dumbledore."
"What do you care, James? Any time I want to talk, you're off with Sirius. And Peter. . . "
"Anytime you want to talk?! Right so, off you go! Talk! Say on, Macduff! What's this big burden you have that makes you cut yourself, beat yourself up? I'm not hearing words, Ray! Fine! When you want to talk, you tell me. I'm still here, I've not gone far away. If you look hard enough, you'll find me."
"Where, with Peter in the Forest?!"
"You. . . you know about the Plan?" James stammered, shocked.
"Pla. . . yeah, I know about it!" Remus improvised, completely bewildered.
James was suspicious. "Tell me about the Plan, Ray. All the details - tell me what we're doing, what we're going to do. Tell me how and why!"
"Fine, I don't know! I overheard you yesterday morning, talking to Sirius and Peter. Why are you able to tell Peter and not me, huh?!"
"We will tell you, Ray, just not yet. When we're done, then we'll tell you. And you'll be glad we did it. It'll help you. I've got to go now, but I'll talk to you later."
Remus was still annoyed, but it wasn't as bad now. At least he knew he would be told, and it would help him. His anger had been replaced with curiosity. What were they doing, and how would it help him?
Still wondering, he began to tidy his stuff. Under his bed, he found a rat in his trap. It was squeaking, and running about. He smiled and lifted up the cage. It was a big one - almost a foot long, tail included.
Moving his trunk aside, he started to hiss softly. He pulled up two of the floorboards with great ease - they had obviously been moved many times before.
He pulled out a bigger cage and peered inside it. Then he checked the heat spell surrounding it. It was intact. Remus smiled as he tipped the rat into the cage and watched it being swallowed whole. (AN - I know feeding live animals to snakes is illegal, but I figure, Arsheba's a wizards snake, therefore probably magic herself, so she'll be grand!)
"Good girl, Arsheba! You were hungry, weren't you?" he cooed.
The snake nodded as if in agreement, and hissed at him. Remus hissed back.